Forget Me Not?
by On Dark Wings
Summary: While on a mission at Suna, Sakura encounters a figure of her past. In her emotional state, can she prove her worth to him and have a happily ever after ending, or will she fall helplessly in love with someone else along the way? Gaa/Saku in later chapter
1. Prologue

Alright, this is my first Naruto fic. Characters might be OOC, but I'll do my best to keep them in character. Also, if my spelling of Japanese words is wrong, feel free to correct me if I misspell them. Story title may change, I just wrote the first thing that popped into my head.

Summary: Forgetting the past isn't easy for some. Some like Haruno Sakura. Tsunade sends Sakura on a mission to Suna, but only forces her into deeper depression. What's worse is that our favorite Kazekage doesn't seem to be making things better. Mainly GaaSaku.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto; I own only the plot.

**Forget Me...Not?**

Prologue:

_As the years go by, _

_you learn to forget those of the past,_

_those long gone,_

_never to return._

_But for some it is not easy._

_Some need help to move on, and forget._

_Haruno Sakura._

_Loved._

_Lost._

_Broken._

End Prologue

So, what do you think? Keep going? Stop? Review, please!


	2. It's For Your Own Good

Ok, heres the first chapter of my story. Also, I'm not exactly good with the -chans, -sans, and -kuns so please bear with me, correct me if I'm wrong. Did I mention this might be a depressing story for some? It may seem like SasuSaku at first, but it's only memories. For all those who hate the SasuSaku pairing, I'm with ya. For those who love it, I mean no offense to what I said before; it's only my opinion. By the way, it's only a NaruSaku friendship. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Normal talking: Blarg

Speech: "Blarg"

Inner Sakura and Demons: **Blarg**

Thoughts: '_Blarg'_

Flashback/Emphasizing words/Sakura or Gaara talking to Inner Sakura or Shukaku: _Blarg _or_ "Blarg"_

Chapter one: It's For Your Own Good

The rain poured down heavily as Sakura lay down on the stone bench that _he_ had left her on two and a half years ago. Exactly, two and a half years ago, in fact. She remembered it like it was yesterday. _"Arigato"_. Sakura had promised herself that she wouldn't cry, that she would get stronger and make _him_ acknowledge her. And still, even though she was under the tutelage of a legendary sannin, the current Hokage, Tsunade, Sakura felt that it still wasn't enough. And so, she concluded, she would never be good enough for him. But a girl can dream, right?

**Come on, cheer up Sakura! Show them what we've got! CHA!**

_What's to show? Sasuke's gone. He hasn't returned to us...to Team 7...to me_

**Face it, Sakura. He's not coming back. There's hundreds of better guys out there! Now, go get them! CHA!**

_Sasuke was the only one I loved...still love. That isn't going to change_

Inner Sakura became silent. Pain etched through Sakura's heart as the memories of Team 7 returned to her, and clouded her thoughts. _'Sasuke-kun...why did you leave me?'._ All the emotions rushed up all at once, and Sakura felt a tear run down her already wet face. As her heart constricted in sorrow, she felt herself succumb to the darkness of her mind. And so, she lay there, limp on the cold stone bench in the pouring rain.

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"Sakura!" _'Where is she? She was supposed to meet Tsunade-sama in her office hours ago'._ Shizune half-jogged half-ran in the streets of Konoha, looking for the young apprentice. Even with Tonton in front of her trying to pick up Sakura's scent, it was hard because of all the rainfall that had fell throughout the past two hours. As Shizune passed Ichiraku Ramen, she spotted a certain blond eating at the bar, with four empty bowls sitting next to the occupied one.

"Naruto!". The blond boy turned around to meet the face of a tired Shizune and a sniffing Tonton.

"Nani?"

"Naruto, have you seen Sakura today?"

Considering it was only morning in Konoha, the chances of seeing someone this early would be low, but...

"Sakura-chan, ne? I saw her go down there, near the front gates"

"Arigato, Naruto"

Something clicked in Naruto's head as he remembered why she had been looking so glum in the morning. "Shizune! I'd be careful around Sakura-chan today. It's the exact day when..._he_ left us..." Naruto sighed, and turned around gloomily and started eating the rest of his ramen, but with less enthusiasm and energy. 'Sasuke-teme...'

Shizune was now at full speed, running down the path that led to the front gates of Konoha. She could see a glimpse of pink in the distance; dead giveaway. "Sakura!". Shizune stared at the limp figure on the bench, drenched in water. At this rate, she could catch pneumonia. "Tonton, go inform Tsunade-sama of the current situation. I'll deal with Sakura. Go!". Tonton nodded, and then sped away to the Hokage tower. _'Sakura, what are we to do with you?'_

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"Uggghhhh...my head...". Sakura opened her eyes to see a white ceiling. Hold on, white ceiling? Sakura jolted up quickly and looked for her kunai holder. But there was none. "Glad to see you're awake, Sakura". Her head turned to see Tsunade standing in the doorway, trying to block out a curious Naruto from getting in. _'So, now I'm in the hospital. But how...?' _"Tsunade-sensei? What?...When?". Then everything came back to her. "Sasuke-kun..."

**Still drooling over him?**

_It's not like you aren't! Face it, we still love him!_

CRASH! Sakura looked up to see Naruto with a lump growing on his head and his face smashed into the floor. "Sakura-chan! The old hag has lost it!". Sakura couldn't help but give a small smile, but as soon as it appeared, it disappeared, like it never happened. Naruto was like an older brother to her, and as much as he tried to get the old Sakura back, his efforts were useless. "Now, Sakura, as soon as you're ready, meet me in my office, and I'll discuss what I wanted to talk to you about"

"Hai, Tsunade-sensei"

And with that, the Hokage left.

"Sakura-chan, is the old hag gone?"

"Yes, Naruto, you can come out now"

Naruto came out from hiding behind the curtains of the hospital, in fear of getting hit by Tsunade again.

"Hey, Sakura-chan. How about we go get some ramen?" asked Naruto innocently.

"Hmm..." As if on cue, Sakura's stomach chose this time to grumble loudly. "Alright, Naruto, but you're paying!"

"Nani!?"

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Even though eating with Naruto had been eventful, and shared one of her small smiles every now and then, she had eventually returned to her dull and depressed self as she walked over to the Hokage tower. "Enter" yelled Tsunade, as Sakura knocked on the door. "Tsunade-sensei, you wanted to see me?"

"Yes. Sakura, I have recently received a letter from Suna regarding the lack of experienced medic-nins. I need you to go over to Suna and teach their current medics proper healing methods. As soon as you reach Suna, you are to report to the Kazekage immediately. He will be expecting you. If he sees fit, he will allow you to work at the hospital. Any questions?"

Sakura took a few seconds to absorb everything in, before she asked, "When do I leave?". Tsunade gave her one of her after-I-say-this-you're-going-to-kill-me smiles. "Tomorrow morning". Tsunade ducked as a chair flew over her head and smashed through the window. A few shouts and yells came from outside. "I'm going to leave you to prepare for tomorrow. Here is your mission scroll. Remember, everything you do will have an effect on the bonds between Suna and Konoha. I'm counting on you, Sakura". And with that, she left.

_'Sakura, please know that I'm doing this for your own good. Maybe, just maybe, you will find what you need to get over your depression in Suna. Forgive me' _thought Tsunade, as she headed for the entrance of the Hokage tower to apologize to the angry citizens who had been hit with the shattered glass and broken chair.

End Chapter one: It's For Your Own Good

So, how's this for a first chapter? It might be a bit confusing at first, but it'll settle out later. If characters are really OOC, please tell me. Second chapter will be posted soon. Review, please! I'll love you forever if you do!

MizzStarlight


	3. Why Me?

Hey guys, I'm back! The reason for the lateness of this chapter was because I was experiencing difficulty updating my story. I kept getting an error when I tried to upload one of my documents, so I had to wait till someone fixed it. Again, sorry for the delay. The rating has gone up on this story just in case something happens. It's more like cutting and emo-ness, rather than lemons and such; I don't do the icky romance stuff.

Chapter two: Why Me?

Sakura left the office of the fifth Hokage, and slowly walked down the street, ignoring everything she bumped into. _How could Tsunade-sensei do this to me?_

**Cheer up, Sakura. She probably only wants the best for you. CHA!**

_I don't need you here right now. Please go away_

Sakura could tell her Inner self felt hurt, but ignored it. She never felt anything for anyone anymore, these days. All she wanted was Sasuke. She knew it seemed a bit selfish, to want him all to herself. But she loved him, didn't she?

**Keep telling yourself that, Sakura**

_I thought I told you to go away!_

And with that, her Inner self was silent. The crowd around her was staring at her as if she had just grown another head. She couldn't blame them, though. She had only bumped into half of the people walking on the street. She sighed.

_'Why me?'_

_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_Sakura found herself standing in her room looking at herself in the mirror. She was clean, her hair was still a bright, pastel pink, but her eyes had lost their color to them. Now, they just looked like a pair of two, dull emeralds. Nothing interesting, unlike how they used to be. Her face still looked young, as she was only fifteen years old, but her porcelain face was scarred by the dark bags under her eyes, which she often covered with make-up. Sure, she still slept, but her nightmares that haunted her each night forced her to wake up at random times, so she woke up tired each day.

_'Well, I better start packing'_

Sakura had no clothes fit for a desert, let alone any that fit her body. All her clothes used to be a perfect fit on her, but since _he _left, her diet had gone to terrible levels, as far as not eating for days. Her bones were visible, even when she was fully clothed. When her friends would ask her to join them for a swim in the lake, she would refuse, and just sit behind the shoreline.

Instead, Sakura just took the clothing that fit her form better than the others, and some of her thicker and larger clothes in case it got cold. If there was one thing she knew about the desert, it was how cold it could get at night. So far, she had two shirts, one short, two long-sleeved shirts, two pants, three pairs of shoes, her traditional outfit she wore and her medic outfit, along with the usual undergarments and toiletries. "This should do" Sakura mumbled to herself, as she lazily finished packing her bag. She would have to buy proper desert clothes when she arrived at Suna.

As she tiredly lay down on her bed, she didn't notice the sharp kunai sticking out from the edge of her bedside table, and it caught on her arm and produced a four centimeter long cut. Even though Sakura noticed the now bleeding arm, she felt no pain. The only thing she felt was the joy of seeing the way the blood flowed down her arm, coating it in a layer of dark crimson. For the first time in a while, she felt excitement course through her body at the sight of blood, even if it was hers.

**Sakura, do something to stop the bleeding! Otherwise you could bleed to death!**

Bleed to death? It didn't seem like such a bad idea to Sakura, especially in the state of mind she was in. _'I wonder what would happen if I...'_

**Sakura! Don't even think about considering suicide! Not while I'm around! Heal your arm, dammit!**

But Sakura refused to listen. Now the blood was dripping on the floor of her room. She glanced at the guilty kunai on the bedside table, it's sharp point coated in blood. For some odd reason, Sakura could feel as if the kunai was...talking to her. Begging her to pick the sharp, betraying object up, and start cutting herself with it. Curiosity got the best of her, and she shakily picked up the blade, put pressure on her uncut forearm, an slid the blade across her skin. Again, no pain.

**Sakura, what have you become..?**

Sakura didn't answer her Inner self. But her excitement was short lived as she heard knocking at the door. This seemed to snap her out of whatever trance the blood had put her in, and she healed both cuts on her arms, before quickly running into the bathroom and washing the still-fresh blood. After drying off, she finally saw what damage the blade had done to her skin. It had left two, four centimeter scars on each arm. And for some reason, Sakura seemed to...like the scars she inflicted on herself. The knocking on her door persisted, and Sakura swung the front door open to find Naruto standing there with the most worried look she had ever seen him in. "Naruto? What do you want? If it's another invitation to eat ramen with you, forget it".

"Sakura-chan..."

"Na-ru-to.." said Sakura, clearly getting impatient.

"Sakura-chan...why? Why did you accept the mission?"

Sakura looked like she had no clue what he was talking about, until it came back to her. The mission Tsunade had asked her to accept. Wait, no, not asked, _forced _her to accept.

"Why not, Naruto?"

"You...I..." Naruto took his time to recollect himself, before continuing. "Old lady Tsunade told me while I was walking by. I came here to see how you felt about the mission, Sakura-chan"

"I'm fine, Naruto. Really, see" she put on one of her fake smiles, and Naruto, being a very gullible person, was convinced that she was happy with it.

"Great, Sakura-chan!"

_Yeah, of course it's great. You're probably happy that you're getting rid of me..._

**Sakura! This is Naruto we're talking about. You're like his younger sister, he wouldn't want you gone! CHA!**

_I'm like a younger sister to everybody! I'm sick of being the one looked out for, I want to get out and do something for myself!_

**If you say so...**

"Naruto, is there anything else you wanted?" asked Sakura, this time in a calmer tone.

"Well, Sakura-chan, you see--"

"Spit it out, Naruto"

"Well, the guys and I decided to give you a gift to remember us by. Ino and the rest of the girls bought you this gift, and the guys and me thought of this one!" Said Naruto in a quick and squeaky voice, scared that he had provoked the 'Delicate Blossom of Konoha'. He handed Sakura the two gifts wrapped in wrapping paper, one in baby blue and the other in baby pink.

Naruto turned to leave and said, "The rest of us wish you a good trip, Sakura-chan, but what everyone hopes for is that you come out of the shell you've been hiding in for months. Sasuke isn't coming back". Naruto sighed, and left the house, saying, "Get some sleep, Sakura-chan, you're going to need it for tomorrow".

Sakura locked the door after Naruto had gone from sight. Her face was emotionless, like nothing happened.

_Good, he got it over and done with. Now I can get back to--_

**To cutting yourself? Sakura, snap out of it! Naruto's right, you've been hiding from everyone. Everyone that knew you before would say that they knew nothing about you now, you're a mess!**

_I am you, now stop complaining! You're giving me a headache_

Sakura sat on one of the kitchen chairs as she opened the letter taped onto the baby pink present.

_Dear Sakura,_

_We heard that you were leaving for a mission tomorrow, so we got you a little gift. We hope you like it. It was the only thing we could think of, since the Hokage told us about the mission on short notice. Good luck, Sakura. Hold on, Tenten wants to say something._

_Hey there girl! Like Hinata just wrote, we got you a little gift. The whole purpose of this is when you're angry, or happy, or you just feel like writing, get this baby out and write all about it. It sure helps me when I'm in one of my moods! Here's Ino!_

_Hey there, Forehead Girl! As Tenten just mentioned, feel free to write any time! But the whole purpose of my little speech here, is on the subject us girls love; guys. So, Forehead, if you meet any cute guy and you're just dying to talk about it, just spill your heart out into our little gift here. And then, when you get back, you can spill all the juicy details about them! Got it?_

_Love from you best friends, _

_Hinata, Tenten and Ino,_

_Good luck, Sakura! XOXO_

Sakura put the letter away and tore open the pink paper. It was a diary with the words, '_To a special cherry blossom'_ engraved on the pink cover. Sakura decided she would take it along, just in case something comes up. Sakura turned to the other letter and opened it.

_Dear Sakura,_

_The guys and I decided to give you this gift to remind you of all of us. We're gonna miss you a lot, we hope this gift will remind you of all of us in hard times. I better finish this quick, Sakura. Bushy Eyebrows won't stop crying over you, and Shikamaru keeps complaining that the wrapping paper is too hard to do. Kiba is having a hard time making Akamaru stop barking, and Chouji had taken eating chips to a whole new level! We already miss you, Sakura-chan. _

_Come back soon!_

_Best wishes from Naruto, Lee, Kiba and Akamaru, Shikamaru, Neji, Chouji and Shino_

The gift was simple; there were two photo frames, each with a memorable picture in them. The first one was of everyone after Sasuke had left. Everyone was grown up, more mature, and stronger than before. _Everyone except for me. I may be physically stronger, but I'm still the same little girl on the inside..._

The second photo was of Team 7; her old genin team, her second family. Sasuke was there, emotionless, but pouting slightly in an annoyed way. Sakura herself was in the middle, happy and joyful. Naruto was standing there, hyperactive as ever, with Kakashi standing in the back with his hands on Naruto's and Sasuke's head. _I remember this photo. Now, I hate myself for being in it_

**But you loved this photo, Sakura. What's happened to you?**

_You should know what happened. _He _left me, Team 7 and Konoha. Face it, you miss him too._

Sakura heard her inner self sigh. Sakura walked up the stairs, half asleep, crawled to her bed and pulled the covers over her. She would have to take a shower the next day. Sakura's brain refused to process anything else, and the last thing she saw before she fell asleep was the thin, almost invisible scar on her arm, slowly becoming a part of her pale skin.

End Chapter two: Why Me?

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next chapter will most likely have Gaara in it, or maybe a short appearance. Please review, I'll give you yummy chocolate cookies : )


	4. You're Not Dead

Hey guys, I haven't really got a chance to read your reviews because currently, it's taking a long time for Fanfiction to get the reviews updated and all, something like that. Just to make things clear, Sakura's traditional outfit is the one AFTER the time skip, not the one from her genin years. Gaara makes an appearance here, and I'd greatly appreciate any help or advice on how to keep him in character. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter three: You're Not Dead

It was morning. The early sun's rays poured through Sakura's bedroom window. She was wearing her traditional outfit, with her backpack prepared for the long trip. _'With no one to bother me on the way to Suna, I should get there in one and a half days, two at most'._

Sakura made sure that everything in her home was switched off, nothing out of place, everything in a neat pile so she wouldn't have to clean when she got back. _'If I get back'_

The pink haired kunoichi stepped outside to meet the cold breeze of the wind on her face. It wouldn't be like this in Suna, of course. It was the middle of summer for the Wind Country. Barely anyone was out on the streets this early in the morning, so Sakura had no trouble getting to the gates on time. She looked back upon Konoha once more. There, standing on a distant rooftop was her sensei, Tsunade, and all her genin friends, including Naruto.

"Goodbye, Konoha" she sighed. '_Why must they make this look like I'm being exiled?'. _Sakura stepped away from the gates, not looking back again, turning around from her home. She took to the trees as it would be a much faster way to get to Suna within two days, and she pumped chakra into her feet to double her speed. It would be a while before she exited the forests of Konoha and entered the sandy dunes of the desert.

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"Kazekage-sama, we have received news that the medic-nin from Konoha is on her way". The Kazekage slightly turned his head to the messenger, who was bowing before him. "Good. Make sure an escort is prepared at the gates when she arrives. You may leave". As the soft tapping of the footsteps became quieter each second, Gaara's demon decided to talk.

**So, it's a she? I wonder how she looks like...**

_Shukaku, this isn't the time_

**I bet you're wondering it too. There's no shame in that, boy**

_Except you have different reasons for wondering about her looks. I need to get back to work_

**You need to take some time off your duties, boy. Take a look around you. You've got women at your feet, begging you to make them yours. You've got money, and you've got power. What more do you want?**

_Enough of this_

**You can't ignore me forever, boy. One day, you'll start listening to me like a good container, and start thinking about my needs, as well as yours**

_We'll see about that,_ Gaara said, as his sand enveloped him and brought him to his office. He was greeted with another five stacks of paperwork sitting innocently on his desk.

_Great. More paperwork..._

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Sand. Sand was all Sakura could see, feel and smell. The crisp stench of burning sand under the blazing hot sun sitting in the sky was enough to drive her crazy. Sand dunes, small sand storms, sand in her hair, sand in her toes, sand everywhere!

_I...need...a...shower...now_

**Dammit! I'll kill Tsunade-sensei when we get back. I'd like to see how she feels being stuck in the middle of the desert! CHA!**

Drenched in sweat, coated in sand, and almost out of water, Sakura stumbled through the desert, falling, getting up, only to fall again. _'Must...keep...going'_. Sakura took a final drink from her canteen, the warm water doing little to satisfy her dry throat. She could see cliffs up ahead, which she assumed was where the main gates of Suna were. She couldn't really tell if the guards usually stationed up there were moving or not, her vision was blurry and unclear.

Her breathing became heavy and uneven. _'So, this is how my life will end. In the middle of the damn desert'_

Sakura couldn't take it anymore, and she fell into the sound with a faint 'thud'. The sand underneath her was burning her face, arms and legs. But she didn't care. As long as it distracted her from the constant ache in her heart. _So. This is how it ends? I guessed...I should of known that...I would never get the chance...to see him, one...last...time_

**Sakura, get up! You can't give up now! Suna is just above and over those dunes, you can't stop now! CHA!**

_Speak to someone who cares. I've had it with my life_

**Sakura, don't do this...**

Sakura tuned out her inner self. The only thing she could hear was the strong gusts of wind, the swirling of sand, and a voice of a man. A voice of a man? '_I really must be hearing things'_. Without the strength to keep going on, she fell asleep right there and then, allowing grains of sand to cover her in the middle of the desert.

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"Hey, are you alright?"

"Oh, of course she's alright, she's only half buried in sand!"

"Wait a minute, this is the kunoichi from Konoha, the one supposed to arrive today!"

"How do you know?"

"Well, if you had been paying attention to Kazekage-sama, he informed us that a medic-nin from Konoha was going to arrive today"

"If you say so, but she is to be put under some kind of supervision until she is awake"

"Deal"

The two patrols from Suna had come on horseback to the lying figure. A watcher from the gates had spotted a patch of pink hair on the ground from a distance, and notified the two horsemen to check it out. So, here they were riding back to the gates of Suna with a pink haired kunoichi in their arms.

"How did it go?" asked one of the guards at the gate.

"She was the medic-nin who was supposed to arrive today. She had just collapsed a few meters over that sand dune over there. I'm not surprised, either. She had just crossed the desert in it's worst season. I'm surprised she wasn't lost in that sandstorm that had appeared in the middle of the desert" answered the patrol who was holding the sleeping medic-nin in the saddle.

"Alright, but I don't think that Kazekage-sama would allow a kunoichi to enter his office in such a bad condition. He'll have our heads for that. You better get her cleaned up first"

The two horsemen rode through the gates, and stopped at the hospital further into the city. "You better get someone from the hospital to clean her up and get her checked for any injuries. I'll tell Kazekage-sama that the medic-nin has arrived" said the patrol without the sleeping kunoichi, as he raced off to the tower visible in the distance. The remaining horseman dismounted his horse, and entered the busy hospital, walking up to the free nurse up front. "Excuse me, but I need you to get this kunoichi cleaned up. Kazekage-sama is expecting her, so please, make it quick".

The nurse nodded and accepted the small bundle and took her to to the nearest washroom in the hospital. The young kunoichi only moved and sighed a few times, before she would eventually become still again. The poor girl was dehydrated, the nurse could see that, but it was obvious that she was so tired because her ninja skills were lacking to kick in, even when she had been picked up, moved, and dropped again. _'Well, if I want Kazekage-sama to acknowledge me, then it's best I do this so I may get rewarded soon'_

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Sakura groaned as she felt pain in her arms and legs.

_If I'm dead, then why do I feel pain?_

**Maybe because you're not dead, silly**

Sakura's eyes shot open to find herself in a white room, with a few bandages on her arms and legs, and clothed in the usual hospital gown. Her traditional outfit was sitting on the end of her bed, clean and ready to wear, and her backpack was placed on the tiled floor next to her bed. She herself was clean and tidy, but the question was, who had taken their time to do all this?

"So, you're finally awake" said a voice from the corner. Sakura shot her head over in that direction to see a man dressed in traditional desert clothes. "Y-you—"

"No, of course not. I got one of the nurses to clean you up. After all, Kazekage-sama is waiting for you to arrive at his office. You wouldn't want a bad impression on your first day"

That's right. Now she remembered. She was supposed to go to the Kazekage tower when she arrived at Suna.

"What's your name?" asked the man.

"What is it to you? I'm sorry, but I'm in a hurry to get to the Kazekage tower. I don't have time to give information about myself to you" answered Sakura in a cold tone of voice.

The man answered in the same tone. "And I don't intent on giving you information about myself either. I'll be waiting outside your door, kunoichi". And with that, the man left.

Sakura changed into her traditional outfit, leaving the dreadful hospital gown on the bed, grabbed her backpack, and left. The robed man was leaning against the wall in an impatient way, and as soon as she had stepped foot outside the door, he started to walk. The hot air blew in their faces as they both mounted the horse and headed towards the Kazekage tower.

_Alright, I've already seen enough of the hospital. These people here have no idea how to keep it clean. I don't even want to know what kind of healing techniques they've been taught_

**But it's nothing that we can't fix. Let's show Suna what we've got! CHA!**

_We're not here to have fun. We're here to work because we were ordered to_

**You're tearing yourself apart, Sakura. Just have fun with this, think of it as a vacation of some sort**

_I will say this again, we're not here to have fun! And that's that! Why can't you accept that my life wasn't meant to be enjoyable, or happy!_

**You don't allow yourself to enjoy things, that's why! You block everyone out because you think it's your fault that Sasuke left! And you think that everyone hates you for it. You may think that I'm the same as you, but happy and sad are two different things, Sakura. One day, you will see that the answer to your problems has been in front of you all along**

For once, Sakura was quiet this time. Her Inner self had won. But it didn't mean that she had to listen to her. After all, she had ignored her split personality for a long time, so why couldn't she do it now?

The Kazekage tower was no different than the Hokage tower back in Konoha, except this one had blue paint on it, rather than red. Sakura quietly thanked the horseman, and dismounted the horse. She met the colder air of the tower as soon as she stepped inside, and went up to the lady sitting behind the front desk. "Excuse me, but I'm supposed to see the Kazekage for a scheduled appointment" said Sakura in her tired voice.

"Name?" asked the woman, while chewing her gum.

"Haruno Sakura, I'm the medic-nin from Konoha"

Sakura could of sworn that the air in the tower just got colder. The glare of the woman was enough to send chills down her spine. "Yes, the Kazekage is expecting you" said the woman through clenched teeth, "Go up to the fourth floor, it's the seventh door to your left"

"Arigato" said Sakura, and took the stairs to the fourth floor, and counted seven doors before she found the double doors that blocked the way to the Kazekage's office. Sakura knocked on the door, then waited for an answer.

_'Great. I'm going to be stuck with an old man for who knows how long'_

She heard a quiet "enter" come from the inside, and she opened the doors and silently shut them when she was inside. The first thing she was greeted with was a desk, a small stack of papers on it, a few pencils and two books. But when she noticed the figure sitting behind the desk on a leather chair, her jaw just went loose, and slightly gaped open. "G-Gaara? You're the Kazekage?"

End Chapter three: You're Not Dead

So, how do you like it? Gaara made one big appearance here, and a smaller one just at the end. I was going to make this chapter longer, but then I thought that it would be a bit too long for one of the earlier chapters. So yes, the fourth chapter is on it's way, it's been started unintentionally. But anyways, please review. I'll read them once Fanfiction has fixed the reviewing problem and stuff. See you next chapter!


	5. Soft Jade Eyes

Sorry I took so long with this chapter, I've been a bit busy over the past few weeks. Ok, with Sakura's attitude and moods, she will keep changing from an angry, to depressed and finally to a sad but normal mood. I know, it's confusing, but that's going to be the main emotions and all she feels throughout this part of the story. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far, you guys rock.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Chapter four: Soft Jade Eyes

_Recap: The first thing she was greeted with was a desk, a small stack of papers on it, a few pencils and two books. But when she noticed the figure sitting behind the desk on a leather chair, her jaw just went loose, and slightly gaped open. "G-Gaara? You're the Kazekage?"_

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It was normal for people to act like this around him. After all, he was an ex-killer.

**Well, well, well, look what we've got here**

_Not again..._

**So, it seems that our little medic-nin did decide to show up. Took her time**

_Our?_

**Yes, our. That is, after we're done with her...**

_Shukaku..._

Gaara could imagine the grin on his demon's face as he listened patiently to his 'guest'.

"Yes, so I am" he said, answering her earlier question. "If you need something, make it quick. I don't have all day" he said coldly.

He caught the pink haired kunoichi taking out a scroll from her pocket. He finished signing his current paper, took the scroll from her hands and read it.

_Dear Kazekage,_

_Haruno Sakura, my prized student, has agreed to accept the mission you sent. I expect my student to stay under the protection of the Kazekage mansion, and to return to Konoha unharmed when the time comes. You may think one medic-nin isn't enough, but my student will be able to tackle the hardest challenges set. I assure you, you won't be disappointed._

_P.S: Although my student is highly skilled, she is, you can say, unhappy. I would greatly appreciate it if you take your time to help Sakura. Even better if she shows up smiling in Konoha. Take care of her for me._

_From the Fifth Hokage,_

_Tsunade._

**The name rings a bell, doesn't it? Chuunin exams, protected the Uchiha brat, you almost killed her**

_Hn_

"Kazekage-sama, if I may ask, where will I be staying?" the pink haired kunoichi asked, fear not evident in her voice.

"At my sibling's home" Gaara responded quickly, and without her permission, enveloped them both in sand and appeared at the Kazekage mansion.

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Sakura started a coughing fit from all the sand in her mouth. She looked up to the smirking red head leaning on the wall. Forgetting who she was directing it to, she glared at the Kazekage, which had no affect on him at all. A short "Hn" was his only reply.

_Great, now I have to put up with an ex-psycho killer who is out to get me_

**Cheer up, Sakura. Who says we can't have a little fun on our mission?**

_Please don't make me go over it again_

**I know, I know, but you really gotta take a break off work. Show everyone the inner party girl in you! CHA!**

_I don't have time to party!_

The front door of the mansion opened to reveal a very excited looking Temari. "Baby brother! How nice to see you" she said in a very hyper way.

"I thought I told you to never call me that again" the red head mumbled under his breath, as Temari looked over his shoulder to see a sand covered pink haired girl behind him. "This must be the guest we were told to take care of, right Gaara?"

"Hn"

Temari took a closer look at the kunoichi who was struggling to clean herself of sand. She just sighed. "I guess we'll just have to show you around after we get you cleaned up" finished Temari, as she ran back into the mansion, taking Sakura with her. The door was shut after Gaara's sand enveloped him, and had disappeared from her view.

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_This kunoichi is going to be trouble_

Gaara finished signing off the rest of his paperwork. It had been three hours since he had left the pink haired girl in Temari's hands. _Now, to make arrangements for tomorrow_

**Yeah, then you'll be free to do what you want. For example, you could think of a plan...**

_No. I have better things to do than to fool around with a weak kunoichi_

8:00am: Stop meditation, do usual morning things

9:15am: Be in office signing annoying paperwork

10:00am: Expect the kunoichi to arrive. Take kunoichi to the hospital.

11:30am: Signing more paperwork

12:00pm: Expect Temari and Kankurou to bring more paperwork

1:00pm: Lunch

3:00pm: More paperwork...

5:00pm: Prepare to leave the office, head home to Temari's awful cooking

7:00pm: Late training

10:00pm: Meditate

It was a very basic plan for the next day. Making sure all lights were off in the office, Gaara used his sand and found himself in the middle of his room. Leaving his gourd beside his unused bed, he exited the corridor, only to have something bump into him. Gaara looked down on the pink haired girl now sitting on the floor.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She could feel him glaring at her from where he stood. She could tell he had noticed how loose her clothes were on her, heck, even Temari and Kankurou noticed it. "I'm sorry" she quietly mumbled, and stood up to face the emotionless Kazekage. "Temari asked me to see if you were in your room. I wasn't looking when you opened the door" she said, as she sadly kept her eyes to the floor of the corridor. She could feel his eyes burning into her face. "Don't let it happen again" he said, as he walked around her and headed downstairs.

Sakura sighed. Yes, he was exactly like Sasuke. Cold eyes, uncaring attitude; _I don't think I'm ready for this_

**Either that, or this might be exactly what you needed! A perfect substitute for Sasuke! CHA!**

_Never. No one will ever substitute Sasuke, because he's the one I'm meant to be swept away by!_

**And yet, here you are with a broken heart. How do you know that he hasn't gone off, killed his brother, and found some other woman to restore his clan? Huh?**

Sakura never got to answer, as her name was being called by Temari. "Sakura! Come down for Dinner!"

"Coming!" she replied, putting on a happier face and voice. She didn't know if her fake smiles and voice would fool the Sand Siblings, but hoped it would hide the truth long enough from them so that by the time they figured it out, she would already be on her way to Konoha.

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She only ate little of Temari's cooking. Not because it tasted terrible, but because she didn't feel the need to eat. Even though Temari was urging Sakura to eat more, she couldn't help but refuse her offer. "Don't worry, Temari. I'm not that very hungry--"

"But you barely ate anything!" Temari butted in.

"Hey, I'd do what she says. Last time I refused, she--"

Temari hit Kankurou over the head with her fan before he could finish his sentence. "Oh, don't listen to him, Sakura. Please, just another spoonful or two!" Temari insisted. Sakura sighed and took one more spoonful, and swallowed the food slowly, and excused herself from the table.

**Phew! Got out of that one! Sakura, are you ok?**

_I don't feel too good..._

Sakura ran over to the bathroom, locked the door, and started to vomit. She couldn't help but wonder how Kankurou and Gaara could take that stuff in every day. After a few minutes of hovering over the sink, she cleaned herself up and looked up into the mirror placed on the wall. She looked so damn tired. Her eyes drifted down and she lifted her sleeve up to expose the scar on her arm, and traced a finger over the straight mark. An image of a sharp blade appeared in her mind, and Sakura smiled at the thought of the blade cutting into her skin, warm blood, trickling down her arm...

But she couldn't. It was getting late, and she needed her rest for the next day. According to Temari, it was the day Gaara was meant to show her the hospital, and she didn't want any bad impressions on first sight.

"Maybe another time," she whispered to herself, and headed for her bedroom. Little did she know, a certain red-headed figure was watching the pink haired kunoichi with soft jade eyes, listening to every word she said.

End Chapter four: Soft Jade Eyes

So, there's my fourth chapter, hope you liked it! It's not much for now, but it will get better soon, hopefully. Again, I would appreciate any help in keeping Gaara in character if he is OOC. Please review, yummy cookies for all!


	6. I Have A Bad Feeling About This

I am terribly sorry this took months to write up. It seems I've lost my spark to this story already. Naruto just isn't as interesting to me as it used to be, so I'm not watching the episodes anymore. Still your reviews inspired me to continue this story, so I assure you, no matter where I am, no matter how long I take to update, I'll never ever completely abandon this story. Anyways, hope you enjoy the chapter!

**(A/N Remake of this chapter: Hey guys! Sorry I've been away for a while. I won't lie to you, I've been a lazy author, I deserve all the punishment for leaving you guys, but I'm back! I've read the reviews for this chapter and decided, it wasn't my best, it was rushed and silly, so I've remade it! For those of you who are new to this story, hope you enjoy it! For those who aren't, enjoy the remake of chapter 5!)**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Chapter 5: I have a bad feeling about this...

"_Sakura, I've finally found you"_

"_Sasuke...kun?"_

"_Sakura, I have been wrong. I now realize, that it is you I've wanted all my life. So, I ask you, will you marry me?"_

"_Yes, Sasuke-kun, of course!"_

_Sakura reached for her fiance, but only managed in passing right through him. Sakura turned around, only to face the image of the one who took her first love away; Orochimaru. "You are still weak minded, Sakura-chan" he teased. Sakura looked straight into his cold, serpent-like eyes, but regretted it as she became still, unable to move. Orochimaru pulled out a long, sharp katana, and drove it into her heart. _

_The world around Sakura started to fade to black, and she succumbed into the darkness that was her nightmare._

Sakura jolted up in her bed. _'It was just a dream. Just a terrible dream'_ she said to herself. She shakily stood up and pulled the curtains apart. Suna's hot sun shone throughout her room, and she covered her eyes behind her arms. There was a knock at her door, and Temari came in. "Oh, Sakura, you're awake," she smiled happily. "I came up to tell you about the meeting you have with Gaara in two hours. Feel free to come downstairs for breakfast when you're ready, though". With one last cheery smile, Temari closed the door and stepped down the stairs.

Sakura just sighed and headed for the shower. If only Temari had reminded her of the meeting earlier. Hot steam filled the air as the water started spitting from the shower head. Clothes were scattered across the floor as Sakura stepped in, and winced slightly as the hot water poured on her back. She sighed in relief. Hot showers were the only real thing she could enjoy these days...

* * *

Gaara could hear the water splashing in the room across from his. He slipped on his Kazekage robes as he listened to a strange tune being hummed by the pink haired girl.

**Why don't you admit you want her?**

_Because I don't_

**Don't think I don't know what's going through your head, boy**

_Hn_

**You can't ignore me forever. One day, you'll be thankful for listening to me, boy...**

Shukaku's voice faded into a dark chuckle. As he payed attention to his surroundings, he noticed that the sound of water had stopped, no more humming, only silence. Gaara walked out of the room, and headed downstairs. He looked to the clock hanging on the wall. He had a few minutes left before he would be in his office signing paperwork. He sighed and reached for a piece of toast, and took a small bite out of it while making his morning coffee. "Temari, I'm leaving"

"Alright, but shouldn't you--". But he had already left with a swirl of sand. Temari coughed up the sand that got in her mouth, "take Sakura with you..? Great, why do I even bother?" she finished, as she created small gusts of wind to move the sand away.

* * *

Sakura didn't know why she was in a rush to get out of the Kazekage Mansion. Although the shower did help to wake her up a little, she was still quite tired.

**Maybe _someone's_ anxious to see a certain Kazekage...**

_Haven't we gone over this? I barely know him and you're already assuming I like him_

**I never said you liked him. But, now that you mention it...**

Sakura outwardly groaned. She adjusted her medic outfit and made sure there was an extra kunai tied to the bandages around her leg. All set. She put her 'happy' face on and ran downstairs. "Ah, Sakura! Gaara just left a few minutes ago. Feel free to eat something before you go!" Temari said from around the corner. Sakura felt her stomach silently grumble, but dismissed it with a fake smile. "No thanks, Temari-san. I think I should leave now"

Temari frowned for a split second, but then smiled again as she said, "Alright, Sakura. Good luck". She waved to Sakura from the Kazekage mansion as the pink haired kunoichi left the warmth of her current home.

* * *

"Oh, Kazekage-sama! I hope you had a _wonderful_ day yesterday. How was your night?".

Gaara didn't have to turn his head to see who the excited young girl was. Maria, the woman at the front desk, had a habit of throwing herself at him. Of course, more than half of the female population in Suna had a habit of doing that, too. It was one of the reasons why he was thankful his sand shield was there to protect him from any 'flying missiles'.

Knowing that Maria wouldn't leave him if he didn't answer, he gave her a simple nod, and headed upstairs towards his office. Thanks to his demon's sharp hearing, he heard the jumpy squeal of Maria, and then her hushed whisper of, "I'm in love...". Gaara inwardly sighed and shook his head, wishing that all the female attention would just go away.

**Not all the female attention, boy..**

The red-head merely shrugged off his demon's comment, and braced himself as he pushed open the double doors to his office. The first word that came to his mind was 'paperwork'. The second thing he noticed was an awfully tall pile of papers falling towards him. The third thing was his sand shield appearing out of thin air, and scattering the pile of papers around the room.

_Perfect. Shukaku, you know what to do,_ Gaara said to his demon, as he controlled his sand to make the form of a raccoon. The small creature stood on it's hind legs for a second or two, sniffed the air with it's grainy nose, and started to run towards the pieces of paper scattered around the room. Gaara watched the conjured raccoon piled the papers to the side of the room one by one before he decided to start working on the seven piles of paperwork on his desk. "This is going to be a long day.."

* * *

The icy glare of the woman had no affect on her this time, no chill down her spine, no temperature change. Sakura had, over time, built up an ability to become immune to the people she met. That was why the woman just kept glaring harder when Sakura didn't move or flinch under her gaze. "The Kazekage will see you", Maria said coldly. The pink haired kunoichi nodded without emotion, and headed up to the Kazekage's office.

As she reached the fourth floor, her eyes quickly darted to the clock positioned on the left side of the wall where the stairs ended. It was 9:55am. She sighed in relief as she jogged towards the Kazekage's office, and knocked on the double doors. "Enter". As she walked in, she noticed small trails of sand on the floor of the office, leading up to what seemed to be a live raccoon, made entirely out of sand. Sakura snapped out of her curious gaze and acknowledged the red headed Kazekage.

"Kazekage-sama, Temari-san said you wanted to see me" Sakura said, as she turned to the Kazekage and looked straight into his jade eyes. Something clicked in her head that moment, but pushed it aside as the red-head closed his eyes and started speaking. "Yes. I assume you would want to start working in the hospital. After all, you were sent here to do so." he said. Sakura just stared at him. Did he think she was stupid or something?

Then again, she could never imagine Gaara asking her something like, "Would you like me to escort you to the hospital so you can start working on the patients?". Inner Sakura was laughing at that thought, while Sakura inwardly grimaced at the idea of the red-headed Kazekage being nice, not to mention the possibility of him saying so many words in a single sentence.

The presence of another being beside her woke her up from her thoughts, and Sakura turned to meet the cold stare of the Kazekage. "Woman, do you want to work at the hospital or not?" the red head said coldly, as he used his sand to open the heavy double doors, and exited his office, not waiting for the confused pink haired kunoichi to follow him.

_I can't believe he did that!_ Sakura screamed in her head, who was trying to keep up with the Kazekage's long, quick strides. _Who the hell does he think he is?_

**The Kazekage of Suna, maybe?**

Sakura inwardly groaned and followed the Kazekage down a familiar path, until they reached the large white and blue building which was Suna's hospital. The cool breeze of the hospital blew in Sakura's face as she entered after the Kazekage, who was already at the front desk by the time she had entered the building. She could hear muttered whispers between the nurse and the red head, before the Kazekage turned and told her, "This nurse will show you around the hospital, and get you started on your duties. Expect Kankurou to get you at seven". With that, the red head disappeared in a small sandstorm, leaving Sakura in the care of the staff.

Sakura looked up to the smiling woman. Her eyes were bright blue and her hair was blond, and her cheeky, goofy smile reminded Sakura of someone. Naruto. _At least there'll be someone else here I can talk to without getting glared at, other than Temari-san_.

"Haruno Sakura, the medic-nin from Konoha, I presume?" the nurse asked, as she continued to smile brightly. Sakura nodded. "My name is Ayame. It is an honor to meet you, Sakura-san" she said, and followed the nurse as she led her to a larger room inside the hospital, where countless of injured and sick patients sat. "This is the clinic in our hospital. We've been getting more and more patients every day, and our doctors haven't been able to keep up. You can say they aren't as..."

"Experienced?" Sakura finished off. Ayame nodded. "As soon as the clinic is cleared up a bit, I will assign to you a class of doctors. They will be yours to teach, so as soon as they become more experienced, you will be free to have more time to yourself".

Ayame smiled at her, and gave her one folder from the many stacks on the desk. "You can start with this patient. As soon as you're done, simply collect another folder and treat the patient. Lunch break is in three hours. Good luck". And with that, Ayame left Sakura in the clinic with the hurt patients. _Well, this is what Tsunade-sama ordered me here for. Better get started._ Sakura sighed sadly to herself, before calling out her first patient's name. "Tara Huroshida!".

* * *

"This way please, Mrs Katasuro".

More than half the clinic had been cleared up with Sakura's help. She had cured over twenty-eight patients with cuts, bruises, headaches and pains, most of them minor. In Konoha, people didn't have to go to a hospital for this kind of stuff. They had the necessary medicine at home, with the right people to help them. _This is a waste of my time. I thought this would be challenging, something to keep my mind off my 'friends', and the place I call home._

The patient sat in the examination room, and Sakura asked what was wrong. "I..I've been having stomach pains, and the worst headaches. Every morning, I've been throwing up and..". Sakura couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her problem was evident, and a woman her age would know what the symptoms were. "...and my husband is very worried, I could be dying and--"

"You're pregnant" Sakura said quickly, forcing the woman to stop and take in the new information. "But..that's impossible. I mean, how could this happen? I mean I know how it happened, but..Are you positive?".

For the sake of peace and silence, Sakura put her hands so that they hovered over the woman's abdomen, and concentrated her chakra so that it sensed whether a heart was beating, or in this case, how many hearts were beating. Sakura found not one heart, but two hearts in the woman's body, one of them smaller than the other; the baby's heart. It was a method specifically used for pregnant women and other medical diagnoses. "I'm positive, Mrs Katasuro".

As the woman was silently freaking out, Sakura was writing a prescription for her. "Here, take this. Hand it up at the front desk. They should take care of things from there" Sakura said.

The woman stared at the paper in her hands, and nodded slowly. "Alright..Okay. Thank-you so much" Mrs Katasuro said, as she walked out unsteadily on two feet. Sakura sighed in relief. _Finally, the worst is over. _She looked to the clock on the wall. 12:58. Lunch time.

She hadn't had any breakfast at all, and for the sake of her health and not passing out on the floor, she decided to take a bite or two out of the salad she bought. Although it was delicious in taste, Sakura's stomach seemed to disagree with this food, but she did her best to swallow up the vomit fighting its way up her throat. After taking another few bites, Sakura threw the remainder of the salad in the bin, and left the room.

Ever since _he_ had left, Sakura's diet had been out of control, sometimes eating less, sometimes more, but almost always ending up with the same result. Even though her life was a pain to live with, she knew Tsunade-sama would never let her live it down if she knew she had an eating disorder. She could do at least _that_ much to stop people from worrying. She heard a voice call from a distance. "Sakura! Haruno Sakura!"

The pink-haired kunoichi turned to see Ayame coming towards her with a huge smile plastered on her face. "Sakura-san, I can't believe that you managed to clear at least half the clinic in a matter of hours! Temari-san is so pleased with your work!". Sakura gave Ayame a confused look.

"Oh, didn't you know? Temari-san is the head of this hospital, the manager, the boss, whatever you want to call it. Kazekage-sama saw it fit to have his sister run the hospital, not just because she was qualified for the job, but because she could give him the latest news on the medical progress and health of Suna without any trouble".

Sakura took this new information in. "Hey, are you alright? You look awfully pale. I hope you haven't been overworking yourself" Ayame said, concern etched across her face. "I'm fine, Ayame, just a little tired is all" Sakura replied, forcing herself to talk. Ayame grinned, and said "Of course, Sakura-san. I would understand, you've been working hard, after all. I suppose you want to get back to working, so I'll leave you to your job. Good-bye Sakura-san!". She waved as she left the pink-haired kunoichi standing there.

_This is...strange. I never thought I'd meet anyone just as happy as Naruto. How can anyone stand being so happy all the time?_

**Look on the bright side, Sakura. At least Ayame-san isn't glaring at you, unlike the rest of the female population in Suna.**

_Oh, that makes me feel so much better..._

Sakura stopped her sarcastic remark, and picked up another file. _Just a few more hours to go..._

* * *

It was getting dark outside, 7:15pm to be exact. Kankurou hadn't showed up, and the hospital was close to empty. She was wondering whether she should just go back to the Kazekage tower by herself, even if the Kazekage told her not to. The street was empty, and she was tired. And frustrated. And depressed. She wanted to feel...alive. She had a sudden urge to go outside and beat whoever stood in her way, and forget--

_No! Stop thinking like this, snap out of it!_ She told herself. She didn't want any more attention than necessary, her pink hair not helping at all, and adding on the path of destruction caused by none other than her would only cause more trouble for her and the bond between Suna and Konoha.

7:30pm. Sakura was just about to give up and walk home, despite the Kazekage's orders, until a dark figure carrying something akin to a mummy walked through the door and saw her. "Woah, hey Sakura! Uhh..Sorry I'm late, I was kinda working on Karasu for a while and lost track of the time and...uhh...yeah" Kankurou fell silent, before saying "So, let's go!".

Both of them ran and leaped over rooftops, heading back towards the Kazekage Tower. Sakura took this time to day-dream as she kept Kankurou in her sight. _I wonder...I wonder if my knight in shining armor will come and take me away some day, come and take me away from this nightmare and save me from myself..._

She shook her head at her thoughts as her Inner Self giggled. Sakura couldn't blame her. She was fifteen years old and still dreaming of the day her one and only love will come to her rescue. _I should know better..._ she thought to herself, _that the world is much more difficult and crueler than what those childish fairy-tales make them out to be._

When Sakura looked up, she realized that Kankurou was nowhere in sight, and that she seemed to be on a rooftop in the more poorer region of Suna. _How did I get here? _She thought to herself. She could see the Kazekage tower from the rooftop, and moved towards it. As she got closer towards the tower, the buildings got closer together, and as she made the final turn to reach the Kazekage Tower, what she was expecting to see was the doors to the Kazekage Tower just meters from her. Instead she was greeted with the view she had seen from the same rooftop she was on in the poorer region of Suna, with the Kazekage Tower in the distance.

**I have a bad feeling about this...**

She had to agree with her Inner. How could she have not sensed it before? She was trapped in a Genjutsu. Sakura made the hand sign and shouted "Kai!", and the world around her twisted while the sky became a massive swirl, and the world seemingly returned to normal, but Sakura still sensed something around her; a dangerous chakra source. Sakura's head shot up as she heard something sharp cut the air behind her, and she swiftly jumped out of the way to avoid getting hit.

A kunai was left where she once stood, sharp and glistening with the fresh coat of poison. A few meters behind the kunai, however, stood a lone figure, familiar in the shadows. Sakura squinted through the darkness, but as quick as she saw the figure, it'd disappeared. Sakura stood up from the roof she was perched on, pulling out her gloves in case she needed them, and concentrated on her surroundings. She was about to give up hope, when she sensed a large chakra source...directly behind her. _Sneaky bastard!_ She thought. _He or she must've guarded their chakra too well._

Sakura was about to deliver a strong kick to the person's mid-section when the figure's voice startled her. "Hello, Sakura".

_Sasuke-kun..._

End Chapter 5: I have a bad feeling about this...

Hope you enjoyed the remake of this chapter! Things are just starting to get interesting...Hopefully the next chapter won't take so damn long to update! Reviews are always appreciated!


	7. The Challenge

Author's Note: :Peeks behind stage curtains: Eep! :Dodges rotten tomatoes: I am so sorry! I know I said I was back and all, but as soon as I posted the chapter the inspiration left me yet again. Believe it or not, I've re-written the beginning of this thing _at least_ six times. But hey! This was originally going to be a 2000-2500 word chapter, but that has now been upgraded to a 4000+ word chapter, just for you guys!

On a side note, I'm not so sure I can keep up the depressive mood to the story, so Sakura might seem a little less depressed in this chapter, however she will continue to be insecure about herself. Also, I've decided to add a bit of humorous segments to this story too, just to break from the angsty-ness. Keep a look out for them!

Oh, and remember how she was headed to the Kazekage Tower in the previous chapter? Scratch that and place the Kazekage mansion in place of that please!

Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, however, the characters you do not recognize from the Naruto anime/manga are mine.

Chapter 6: The Challenge

_Recap: Sakura was about to deliver a strong kick to the person's mid-section when the figure's voice startled her. "Hello, Sakura"._

_Sasuke-kun..._

* * *

It couldn't be him. It just couldn't.

Sakura could feel her mind crumbling, breaking the pathetic mental wall she'd built in hopes of forgetting _him_, the person who had always tormented her past. She couldn't believe he had the nerve to show up again before her, in Suna of all places, when she was on a mission herself. Furthermore, she had to ask herself, "What is he _doing_ here?".

A part of Sakura was overjoyed to see him once more; it was her weakest part, and the most fragile part of her, a part which hadn't healed since the boy – no, _man_ standing in front of her had left the place she called home.

The other part, however, said otherwise; her Inner. Sakura knew her Inner was completely different to her...

Or perhaps not?

Perhaps her Inner was who she truly was, and her outer self was only a shell of what she should have become, or what she was before her fascination with Sasuke became an unhealthy obsession, an obsession that tore apart her friendship between Ino and herself?

**Sakura, now would be a _very_ good time to do _something!_**

_can't.._

**What do you mean you can't!? Tsunade-sama didn't train us for nothing, she was preparing you for moments like these! Now pull yourself together and beat the baka, CHA!**

_No, I won't do it. He's been gone for so long, and after all this time I'm not going to greet him with hostility._

**Oh, like he greeted you with a poisoned kunai? **

Sakura's mind relived the moment when she realized the poisoned kunai was thrown by Sasuke, and her fingers immediately twitched towards the kunai strapped to her leg. Sasuke saw the movement, however, and smirked.

"That won't work on me, Sakura".

* * *

"Right, Temari should be home, so you wouldn't mind if I just left...you..here?" the puppet master asked while turning, only to be met with thin air.

Kankurou couldn't believe his eyes, and rubbed them as if it would bring the pink haired kunoichi back into his vision. He looked towards the roof he'd jumped off, but he couldn't find a single trace of pink, let alone sense her presence anywhere.

_'Strange...her chakra signal was there a second ago. Ugh, I can imagine the look on _his_ face once I tell him Konoha's medic disappeared into thin air'._

He groaned in frustration. "Just wait until Gaara hears about this...".

"Hears about what?".

Kankurou froze. Of course, _he_ just _had_ to be right behind him when he said that.

Slowly turning around, he met the eyes of a none-too-happy Gaara.

The puppet master slowly eased an innocent smile on his face that told Gaara "I'm using this to hide something I don't want you to know cause if you find out I'm going to be on the top of your 'To Kill Before I Die' list".

"G-Gaara...uhh...hi".

* * *

Sakura's heart raced as Sasuke none-too-gently gripped her wrist. She could feel his warm fingers burning her skin, or were they just so cold they burned? She could feel herself being pulled towards him, enough to feel the heat radiating off his body. Sakura's eyes, wide with fear, begun to cloud with tears, but she wouldn't let them fall, not in front of Sasuke.

"And to think you would've changed after all these years. How disappointing" Sasuke suddenly spoke.

Sakura felt as if she was 12 again, his words bringing back painful memories.

_'You're weak'_

_'Useless girl...'_

_'A burden'_

Sakura wanted to scream at him, the words forming in her mind but not coming out of her mouth. _"No, Sasuke-kun! I've changed, I really have! I'm stronger than before, I can look after myself now!". _

She believed those words she desperately wanted to say to him because she knew she fought tooth and nail to get to where she was. _She_ was the one who convinced Tsunade to take her as her apprentice. _She_ was the one who overcame every obstacle Tsunade threw at her. _She_ was the one that excelled under Tsunade's guidance to become a medic-nin second only to her sensei. He had no right to judge her based on what she'd been two and a half years ago!

Her Inner edged her on, encouraging her with words like, "You tell him, girl! Show him you're better than before! Prove it to him _and_ to yourself!".

Sakura calmed her breathing, but her heart still pounded in her chest at her proximity to Sasuke.

_'I'll prove myself then'_

"Prove yourself?"

Sakura stiffened. Did she really say that out loud?

Sasuke smirked. "You have no chance against me"

* * *

The air was tense between the brothers, the older nervous under the scrutiny of the younger.

"I do not repeat myself, Kankurou".

The puppet master looked around swiftly, as if looking for some kind of answer to fool his brother.

_'Not that he'd ever believe me'._

"Well...uh, you see..."

As if for the first time, he set his gaze upon his home and suddenly remembered Temari.

"Temari was cooking alone again!".

The younger brother lifted and invisible eyebrow.

"Uhh...yeah! That's it! You know Temari and her cooking, she's probably burned down the kitchen already! ".

Suddenly the front door opened with none other than their older sister leaning against the doorway with her arms crossed.

_'This is going to get ugly'_ Kankurou thought. _'Maybe she didn't hear me?'._

"Gaara, Kankurou, what're you doing out here? Come inside" she said, looking at her youngest brother first, and then with a dangerous twinkle in her eye, looked at Kankurou.

_'Yep. She heard me'._

She then looked around the area, and asked her brothers, "Where is Sakura?".

At the mention of their guest's name, the one Kankurou was supposed to bring home _safely_, the puppet master tensed up even more. Unfortunately, both his siblings noticed.

"Kankurou" Temari started slowly. "Weren't _you_ supposed to bring Sakura home?".

The puppet master gulped, his eyes averting to the ground, anywhere but his siblings' eyes. It was bad enough when one of his siblings ganged up on him, but both at the same time? Kankurou knew his youngest brother was, putting it simply, not to be messed with, and Temari was just as dangerous if the right buttons were pushed.

"Well, yeah, you see, about that..."

Kankurou chanced a look at both of his siblings. They were _not _happy.

And thats when he cracked.

"It wasn't my fault! IpickedherupfromthehospitalandshewasjustupthereasecondagoandallofasuddenshedisappearedandIdon'tknowwheresheis! " he said in one big breath.

Temari's mouth slackened slightly as she processed his words.

Seconds went by, but to Kankurou they seemed like many hours.

Finally, Gaara spoke up.

"You_ lost _the medic?"

* * *

_'You have no chance against me'_.

His words echoed in her mind, drowning out her Inner's encouraging words. She couldn't help but dwell on them, because a great part of her knew that he was right. If anyone could stand up to Sasuke, it was Naruto...not her. All she could do was support him from the back line while he did all the work.

She remembered a moment in the Chuunin Exams in the forest of death, where she felt so helpless at the hands of the Sound kunoichi, Rin:

_'If you have time to care for your hair, train more!'_

Her words struck a chord in her that opened her eyes to reality. She was grateful that she'd experienced that moment, because if she hadn't, she wouldn't have been able to prove herself to Ino and stand up to her in the preliminaries. If she hadn't experienced that moment, she wouldn't have had the guts to say to Sasuke:

"I'll never be good enough for you, will I?!"

It was more of a fact rather than a question.

"You have no idea how much Naruto has missed you, how much _I_ have missed you! You've been gone for so long, and now that you're here, you have nothing to say to me but how I haven't changed? What is _wrong_ with you? Don't you care about us anymore?".

Sakura stopped and hoped to catch any trace of emotion on Sasuke's face, but there was no remorse, not even a heartfelt apology out of him for leaving Konoha, for leaving Team 7. There was only amusement.

"You don't get it, do you Sakura? I _don't _care anymore".

* * *

"Lose her? No! She was just up there a second ago, I swear--"

"But she's not with you now"

"Well no, but--"

"And you cannot sense her chakra"

"Not exactly--"

"Therefore you've lost her" Gaara deadpanned.

Kankurou's shoulders slumped in defeat.

_'There really is no point arguing with him. He _always_ wins'_ Kankurou thought.

Temari chose that moment to speak up. "So...she just disappeared? Like that?".

Kankurou nodded. "I swear! She was behind me one second, and the next she disappeared as if she was never there!"

"You better not be joking about this!"

"You tell me why I'd make something like this up!"

While Temari and Kankurou argued, Gaara silently used his chakra to find any abnormalities in Suna and the kunoichi's chakra.

_'If there is a serious threat, the person must be hiding his or her chakra well'_

There was nothing in his vicinity near the Kazekage mansion, nor the Kazekage Tower, nor the populated areas of Suna. That left him with the gates of Suna and the poorer regions of the village, which was still in the process of being rebuilt after a devastating storm that'd happened while his father had been Kazekage.

**Except instead of repairing his village he decided to assassinate you**

_Enough! No one asked you_

His demon's mad cackling echoed in his mind, but he quickly refocused on finding the kunoichi.

_'The gates are too well guarded. Nothing serious could have got in or out of Suna without me being notified' _he thought. _'That leaves the devastated region'_ he concluded, and searched the area.

A large part of the region was under repair, but there were no chakra signals coming from inside the buildings.

_'The people there were moved to a safer location. Everything should be deserted'_

He then focused on the buildings closer to the high walls of Suna, scanning every corner of every building of every street, but he could find noth--

Wait!

A particular building caught his eye. There was a strange signal coming from it, and the abnormality in the area was both enough to cause suspicion, and enough to convince Gaara that the medic-nin could possibly be there.

He looked towards his siblings. Both were looking at him, waiting on his findings. Gaara spared a short glance at Temari, then with a quick sharp nod to Kankurou, dashed to the rooftops. Kankurou shrugged his shoulders, and quickly followed after his brother.

_'It's going to be a long night'_

* * *

Sakura stared at Sasuke in disbelief. This was _not_ the Sasuke she knew. Orochimaru must've brainwashed him too, just like he did with every other one of his lackeys.

"I don't believe you!" Sakura yelled at him. "How can you say that after saving me every time I got into trouble? Don't tell me you never cared then!"

'What I cared for then and what I care for now are two different things" he said unemotionally.

Sakura shook her head, tears threatening to fall out of her eyes.

"No, the Sasuke-kun I knew is still in there somewhere!"

"He doesn't exist anymore"

"Maybe he still would if he didn't run away to some deranged pedophile obsessed with destroying Konoha and luring little boys!"

(A/N: Oh woops, did I just write that? I'm so sorry, silly typo! Let's try again! :D)

"Maybe he still would if his world didn't revolve around becoming stronger to kill some spoiled, cowardly brother of his!"

A long silence drifted between them, and as Sasuke closed his eyes, Sakura realized she'd pushed it too far.

_Now look what you've gone and done?_

**It wasn't my fault! It just slipped! Though I feel better now that its out of my system...**

Sakura watched in horror as Sasuke opened his eyes to reveal his Sharingan.

_Oh, now you've done it!_

Her Inner didn't respond to her. She was alone again, and felt more empty than ever.

"That was low, Sakura" Sasuke started. His eyes narrowed at her.

"My brother is my responsibility alone. You had no right to bring him up" he said distastefully.

He seemed to ponder something for a moment, before speaking again. "I take back what I said before. You _have_ changed, Sakura. You've become _worse_ than you were before".

Sakura shook her head, refusing to believe his words.

"No...Sasuke-kun, I didn't mean--"

"Shut up! You've lost whatever remaining respect I had for you. If you wish to regain it, fight me" he growled menacingly. "Prove that you deserve it, but don't expect to win".

_'This is too easy'_ he mentally smirked, and swiftly reached out for two poisoned kunai hidden in his pocket.

Sakura saw the attack, but by the time she reacted, the kunai had been thrown, and were approaching her fast. Sakura held her own kunai firmly in her hand. The poisoned kunai were traveling at the same speed but at a different height. There was no way she could run and there was no way to deflect one kunai without being hit by the other. She could do nothing, just like always...

"Suna shurikan!"

Both heads snapped towards the voice. Out of thin air, sand shurikans seemed to materialize from an imaginary 'wall' where the roof's edge was. It all seemed to click into place then for Sakura; no wonder no one had seen them before. It was an illusionary technique that trapped the person inside a 'box' that hid them from the outside world. To any passerby, it would look as if it were part of the environment. Unfortunately, as Sakura found out, the technique could not be dispelled unless the caster removed it or someone from the outside found the area and dispelled it.

_'I must've triggered the illusion when I dispelled the other one'_

The poisoned kunai were knocked out of the air by the shurikan, and the world around Sakura and Sasuke seemed to swirl and ripple until two figures stood visibly on the higher roof where the voice came from. Kankurou and Gaara.

Kankurou stood still with his hands in the dispelling seal, while Gaara stood nearby him, his hands also in the seal for his attack.

Sasuke glared at the two, and tried to get some distance between them, but found that he couldn't. With one look at his feet, he found sand gripping him, holding him in place. It was quickly rising, immobilizing him so that he couldn't move.

Kankurou and Gaara jumped to where Sakura stood.

Gaara looked at Sasuke, and then looked towards the wall of Suna closest to them.

"Something wrong, Gaara?" Kankurou asked.

Gaara looked at Sasuke again.

"The chakra signal came from here, but it wasn't the source. Whoever he is is simply a replication" he said.

'Sasuke' smirked. "You don't miss a thing, do you?". He winced as the sand restricted him even tighter.

Sakura looked at 'Sasuke'.

_All this time...I've been talking to a replication?_

Upon further thought, Sakura mentally shook her head.

_No, some part of it was real. It _had_ to be real._

"Sakura".

Her head shot up at 'Sasuke's' voice. He couldn't say anymore with the sand squeezing the breath out of him, but all it took was one look at his eyes to understand.

Somehow, Sakura knew she was going to see him again, however, it would probably be under worser circumstances. He was still holding her to that challenge, after all. _"If you wish to regain it, fight me"_.

He knew she wouldn't, _couldn't_ refuse his challenge, because deep down he knew the lengths she'd go just to be worthy to stand in his presence.

And he was right. It was a challenge she couldn't refuse.

'Sasuke's' eyes clenched, and suddenly seem to relax into the sand's hold. A small 'pop' was heard as 'Sasuke's' body went up in a cloud of smoke. Gaara was right. It was only a replication.

A few seconds passed where no one spoke, and nothing happened.

Then, there was a shuffling movement; Sakura sank to the ground and simply sat there, staring at the place where Sasuke's replication once stood.

He was gone. Again.

**At least we know he's still alive, right?**

Sakura didn't respond, even as Kankurou squatted beside her, checking for any visible injuries.

"She seems fine. Just shaken up" he concluded, and stood up again.

Gaara was facing Suna's closest wall to him, eyes closed in concentration, but still aware of his surroundings.

"Any luck?" Kankurou asked.

A long moment passed by before Gaara opened his eyes again.

"If the Uchiha had infiltrated Suna from the outside, he isn't there anymore".

Kankurou shook his head.

"We should get back to Temari and update her on the situation".

Before leaving the rooftop, Kankurou collected the poisoned kunais thrown and placed them safely in a pocket, and mumbled to himself. "If I can get a good clean poison sample off these, I could narrow the possible suppliers down and get some information out of them".

Sakura followed the brothers back to the Kazekage mansion, the original destination point before she was sucked into the Genjutsu. Awaiting their arrival was Temari, who smiled as she saw her brothers return with Sakura, who seemed unharmed on the outside. Temari was patient as the event was explained to her by Kankurou. Gaara was standing off to the side, nearby the stairs that lead to the bedrooms.

Sakura didn't really want to be near anyone at that moment, especially the quiet red-head. She preferred to take a quick shower, head off to her room and sleep so she could get to work on time. She definitely wasn't in the mood for dinner either, her appetite was long lost after her encounter with Sasuke.

Sakura headed towards the stairs.

_'Keep your eyes low and don't make any eye contact'_ she reminded herself.

Every step she took made her stomach twist in nervousness.

_'Please don't notice me. Please don't notice me. Please don't notice me' _she chanted in her head.

"Haruno".

_'Damn it'_

Sakura looked up.

"Yes Kazekage-sama?" she replied dutifully.

Gaara mentally rolled his eyes. He _hated_ it when people called him by that title.

"Follow me".

He lead her into the cozy lounge room, away from Temari and Kankurou's view. They wouldn't be able to hear them anyway, they were talking too loud.

Sakura was beyond nervous. Being stuck with an intimidating figure in a room where none of the other residents could see you was definitely not her ideal place to be. She was suddenly forced to back up into the nearest wall when Gaara rounded up on her.

"What kind of shinobi do you think you are?" he said harshly.

Sakura was speechless.

"W-what--?"

"I asked for a capable medic, not an amateur"

Sakura couldn't believe her ears.

"I--"

"Don't speak" he cut her off.

"Your Hokage convinced me that you were one of the best medics in Konoha and one of the strongest kunoichi, but apart from your work in the hospital, you have shown me nothing to prove your worth".

The hurt clearly showed in Sakura's eyes.

"I took her word that you would not disappoint me" he said, and paused.

Sakura felt her world closing in on her, as if she was bearing the world's problems on her shoulders. First Sasuke, and then a lecture from the Kazekage, who just happened to be the person who almost killed her two and a half years ago. Great.

Gaara's words, however, struck cold and true. Sakura just couldn't believe that _he_ of all people would confront her about it first.

His tone turned from harsh to authoritative.

"You're the Hokage's apprentice. Act like one".

When those words were spoken, she couldn't describe the feeling at first. It felt like a slap to the face that left a stinging mark, or the realization that something you've done had gone terribly wrong.

It was shame.

Shame on herself for the way she'd been acting ever since she'd come to Suna. Shame on herself for not letting go of the past. Shame on herself for not living up to her reputation and title as Hokage's Apprentice...shame on herself for letting everyone run her down all over again.

Gaara could see the kunoichi struggle with herself. His words had hit home. He could see how uncomfortable she was becoming under his scrutiny, and mentally sighed. If his words affected her the way he imagined they would, she wouldn't be a problem for the rest of her stay.

He stepped aside, letting her go, deciding if she hadn't improved within the next day or so, he was staying out of it. For good. She wasn't worth his time anyway.

* * *

Sakura didn't think she'd been so miserable in her entire life. Had he really meant what he said?

Sakura sighed.

_'Of course he meant what he said. He never jokes around'_ she replied to her own question.

Turning to her side on her bed, she faced the window and pondered a question that'd been on her mind ever since she saw Sasuke that day.

_'What should I tell Naruto?'_

She had every right to tell him, but knowing Naruto, as soon as he finds out that Sasuke had been near Suna, he'd rush over in record timing and travel all over the desert to track him down if he had to. On the other hand, if she didn't tell him and he found out by some other way, he'd be hurt that she hadn't spoken to him about it first.

Either way, someone would end up getting hurt.

Sakura's eyes focused on her backpack, and she remembered the gifts she was given before she left.

She kept the original photo of Team 7 on her bedside table, always looking at it before she went to sleep. The more recent photo of everyone minus Sasuke was on a desk in the same room. She didn't know why she kept them up. Sometimes it made her feel as if she was needed by the people who 'cared' for her, though her own voice seemed to contradict her in her mind:

_'They don't care for you. They've left you behind and moved on. You're not worth it'_

It was the voice in her mind that brought her down at the end of the day. It wasn't another personality, not like her Inner who had a mind of her own. No, this voice was an imaginary _thing_ in her mind that was created from the downgrading comments others made to her, mainly by Sasuke. Over time, she had simply become what others made her out to be.

"_You're the Hokage's Apprentice. Act like one"._

The words suddenly repeated in her head. She didn't know why those words affected her so much. Had she really been acting that differently?

"_I take back what I said before. You have changed, Sakura. You've become worse than you were before"_

Sasuke's opinion of her was never that great to begin with, but he didn't _hate_ her before. Then there was that challege. Like he said, she had no chance of beating him, she was too weak after all, too hopeless to even--

And then, like a light bulb, it clicked in her mind. She sat up.

It was an idea. An idea she would risk using if it meant gaining back Sasuke's respect. It'd come into her mind all at once, and afraid that she'd lose a single part of it, she began to panic.

"Where's a pen and paper when you need them?" she asked out loud.

Her eyes then locked onto her backpack one more, and she remembered the final gift.

_'The diary'_ she thought. She grabbed it out of her bag, and then searched frantically for a pen. After searching through two drawers, she found a working blue pen to write with. Unlocking the diary, she flipped to the first page, and started writing as if her life depended on it.

Six minutes passed by.

There were two pages full of scribbled notes ripped out of the diary, but there were three neat pages of goals and achievements Sakura had written down to accomplish, all in hopes of gaining back Sasuke's respect for her.

For once in a very long time, Sakura felt proud of herself. She finally had something to look forward to. Before she closed the diary, she pondered for a moment, and looked over her work, taking the pen to three different goals she felt were the most important.

_'This one, this one and...that one!'_

Sakura placed the pen back in the drawer and massaged her hand, looking at her underlined goals.

Train every day to become stronger. _For Sasuke-kun_.

Teach the inexperienced medics all I can in the time I have. _For Tsunade-sama._

Regain my reason to live. _For everyone else, and for me._

Sakura smiled to herself. A true, genuine smile.

Placing the diary back in her backpack, Sakura sank into her pillows and wrapped her covers around her, thinking to herself, _'Tomorrow, this plan will be in action!'_.

She went to sleep, with a final thought in her head:

_'Watch out Suna, here I come!'._

End Chapter 6: The Challenge

I'm not exactly sure about this chapter myself. I'm pretty sure some parts of it may be OOC, and the rest is in character, but I'll leave that for you to decide. There will be a lot more moments between Gaara and Sakura from now on, especially with what I have planned. Anyways, I hope you found this chapter interesting! Please leave a review! I accept constructive criticism, so feel free to post your opinion! Thanks for reading!


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